The 2023-24 NBA All-Star Game failed to captivate audiences. The same can be said for the dunk and three-point contests for the most part. However, one specific event caught the attention of fans. Sabrina Ionescu challenged Stephen Curry in a head-to-head three-point contest, and Curry narrowly emerged victorious. It was the highlight of the weekend without question, and fans have wondered if Caitlin Clark would consider joining the event this year.
Clark is preparing for her second season in the WNBA. She is fresh off a tremendous rookie campaign, and her future in the league is bright without question. Rumors have swirled for months about Clark joining Ionescu in a contest against Curry and Klay Thompson. With the weekend in San Francisco this year, the idea of Thompson and Curry joining forces again would make sense.
According to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, however, sources have said that Clark may not participate in the event. Nothing is official as of this story's writing, but it seems as if Clark is not a big fan of the idea.
According to the Sports Business Journal, Clark prefers in-game like three-point shots such as catch-and-shoot and shooting off the dribble as opposed to shooting the balls off the rack, which is how a three-point contest works. Again, as mentioned, nothing is official and there is a chance Clark could change her mind.
With NBA All-Star Weekend just a few weeks away, though, she will need to make an official decision soon. After all, the NBA surely wants to market such an event weeks before it takes place.
Even if Clark opts against participating, Ionescu may consider a return. She almost defeated Curry last year and the idea of accomplishing the feat this year could catch her attention. If Thompson has interest, then another WNBA star could end up joining Ionescu if Clark does not participate.
Clark is one of the most popular athletes in all of sports right now, however. The NBA has struggled to draw attention to All-Star Weekend in recent years, so Clark's possible participation was going to be a potential highlight of the weekend.
It will be a situation to closely monitor over the next couple of weeks. Caitlin Clark's final and official decision will likely be made sooner rather than later. Either way, the NBA will probably have a similar event to last year's Ionescu vs. Curry three-point contest. The question is whether or not Clark will participate.